The one word that can make you a favourite passenger for flight attendants
If there's ever a place you want to get preferential treatment, it's on a plane.
From upgrades to free glasses of wine, there are certain perks that you can enjoy when you're on the cabin crew's good side.
And there's one thing you can do to ensure you cement yourself as a favourite passenger.
The golden rule? Be polite. Getty
According to a US-based flight attendant, the best thing that a passenger can possibly do is to say the word "please".
It might seem like basic manners, but Charity Moore revealed in a recent TikTok that it doesn't happen as often as you think.
"We love it when you say, 'Can I have a ginger ale, please' instead of 'ginger ale'," she said in the clip, which has nearly a million views.
"If you just use basic kindness and manners, it is noted because not everyone is doing that," Moore added.
Flying can be stressful - don't take it out on the plane staff. Getty
Another tip she passes on in the TikTok is to be specific.
"If you are a coffee drinker, when you order your coffee, and you specify exactly what you want in it."
Say: "A coffee, please, with milk and one sugar."
This saves them from having to ask you as they pour.
She also pointed out that it's good practice to take off your headphones when the food service begins, and also to not block the aisle when attendants are rolling through with a cart.
Be specific with your order on planes. iStock
She says that she will often reward 'well-behaved' passengers, giving them sneaky freebies like a bottle of Baileys with their coffee.
On the other side of the coin, a surprising number of Aussies think that we should be tipping flight attendants who give us good service.
In an exclusive Nine reader survey we asked: "Would you consider tipping a flight attendant for good service?.
Unsurprisingly, a huge 88 per cent of our readers say they would not ever tip airline staff.
But 12 per cent say they'd consider it, a pretty high number considering that tipping isn't really a thing in Australia.
Would you tip cabin crew? Getty Images/iStockphoto
Instead of monetary tips, some travellers say that they like to give flight attendants gifts, like chocolates, as a thank you for their hard work - and a way to hopefully receive better service.
On a recent flight to Thailand with my one-year-old, I gifted the cabin crew a box of chocolates to share, and in return, they were extra attentive.
It was a godsend when I really needed an extra pair of hands.
